Off the Shelf Front Spindle and Hub

[Richard 2]

Thanks Sid

[TheSteelMan23]

Sid can you explain a little bit why you decided to use the arms and suspension on the front of Betsy vs. a solid mounted front end and just letting the tires absorb the shock. Would you still recommend using a suspension front vs a solid?

Sparky can you please explain the "walking beam" to me.

[kiwi belly tank]

Due to tire size difference between the front & rear of the liner, the tire crowth will load the leading front tire more than the trailing tire without suspension. I believe the 2nd liner to turn up with a tandem front end was Roy Fjastad in the mid 90's. That was rigid & seemd to work. I don't know if they changed it later or not.
The walking beam system was pioneered by Hendrickson for semi trucks & trailers & still in use today.
That would be a lot simpler system to build. Basically a trailing or leading arm with both wheels mounted to it.
  Sid.

[SPARKY]

Sid Explained it better than I could and he is correct about frt and rear they are also slightly offset 1/8" to stop any Motorcycle tricycle discussions

---Higginbotham only runs one set of tires--MT 30" rears  and 24"s on the frt.-He has to put shocks on it because it did piviots between the tires I have driven it after it was sorted out  but it had the issues Sid talks about and wanted to pull---it did not have zero scrub radius to start with.  It would be fairly easy to make this system Frt. wheel drive also using 4 wheel drive strg. knuckles

[Richard 2]

Sid, Sparky, Would you have to hinge the walking beam on one end to keep it from wanting to hop, rather than in the middle like a truck. (shocks would be needed either way)
Sparky could you explain;  "It would be fairly easy to make this system Frt. wheel drive also using 4 wheel drive strg. knuckles."
Thanks Richard

[TheSteelMan23]

In theory would four of the same size tires negate the need for suspension to compensate for uneven tire growth?

[SPARKY]

it would not be a walking beam if it were hinged on one end.

Build it like Sid talked about but use 4x4  axle shafts ends and tubes  no diffrential  h

use blower drive belts to drive them from a jackshaft between the tires  from a diff behind the rear tire.  4 belts all told

[Richard 2]

Thanks Sparky      I guess if you hinged the beam on one end it would be like a swing arm on a truck air bag setup. Would probably need two arms one for each wheel on a streamliner.

[kiwi belly tank]

In theory would four of the same size tires negate the need for suspension to compensate for uneven tire growth?

Jason, in theory that would solve the issue.
In the design stages of my "nightmare on any street" I actually looked into the idea of a driven tandem front end to narrow the front up but that gave me the issue of having to see over that whole mess & that just increased the frontal area plus it would up the amount of custom crap I would need to have built. Not on my budget!
With the 30" Mickey's side by side, my line of sight is only 21" agl. & the top of the liner only 31.

Richard, I think a single trailing arm with both wheels on it swung from the front would work.
  Sid.
 

[TheSteelMan23]

Sid I have been wondering how your project was coming along, I was hoping to see pictures of it in the 2013 SW thread. Your frustrations with getting things custom built is exactly why I am going to do it with off the shelf stuff if I can't make it myself, or I'm not going to do it. Like you I am very budget conscious

[kiwi belly tank]

Well, you'll be ahead of me Jason. I can't even afford a budget but it is very doable with lunch money.
  Sid.

[Podunk]

Jason,
Call me 219-988-2775 weekdays 8-5 central. I do custom machining at a reasonable rate.
Terry

[TheSteelMan23]

Thanks Podunk I will keep your number on hand. I am still going to try to do stuff off the shelf, but if I need anything done I will get in touch with you. I have seen pics of some of the work you have done and it looks like great stuff. Thanks